Gilbert Crispin (nos. 236–43)

236. Grant by Abbot Gilbert to William Baynard of the berwick of
Tothill in Westminster for one knight's fee, as it had been held by the
thegn Wulfric Bordewate. He will hold it freely except for the aids, due as
from the abbey's other knights, and for the tithes which are assigned to
the almonry; after his death the land will revert to the abbey. 1083 [? error
for 1086]

Date: It is unlikely that Gilbert became abbot before 1085 (Gilbert
Crispin, 38; Flete, 141; Heads, 77). The scribe made an error in copying
the date, but, as he appears to have inserted the charter rather hastily this
is not surprising. Note: See Harvey, WA, 354–5.

237. Grant by Abbot G[ilbert] and the convent to Robert son of Sweyn,
of the land of Wheatley (Essex), which his father gave to the abbey for his
soul, and which was confirmed by his mother on the day of his father's
burial, in the presence of their barons Godobald, Turold and his brother
William, and the abbot and convent, to hold at an annual rent of £3.
[c. 1087]

Note: On Westminster's sanctuary, see Honeybourne, 'Sanctuary
boundaries'. The fugitive named in this writ has been identified as
Deorman of Essex (Hart, no. 72 and note; cf. no. 109, which is also cal. in
Regesta I, no. 399), but this argument is not convincing. This writ was
evidently recorded in F as the oldest surviving documentation of the
Westminster sanctuary, even though its grammar was scarcely intelligible
by the time this cartulary was made. The copyist has consequently
experienced some confusion over minims, and although he tries to
distinguish between the various English letter-forms, there is occasional
misrepresentation, notably of the letters thorn and wyn, thus causing
more mistakes. (The various obsolete letters, as he reproduces them, are
transliterated in the present text). Both F and WAD contain several
English-language writs of William I (4–9; 42) and in recording these too,
the cartulary scribes have experienced difficulties.

Note: This grant was confirmed by Herbert (245). Gervase (263) and
Henry II (124) issued confirmations for Gunter's son Gilbert. See also
Harvey, WA, 352.

242. Grant in fee by Abbot G[ilbert] to William of Buckland of Cippenham and Burnham (Bucks.) for £2. 10s. a year and of Tetworth and of
Tonge (Hunts.) for £3 a year for all service except the king's geld; also the
courtyard in front of his house for 4d. He is to hold Chelsea (Mddx.) for
life for £4 a year, but after his death it will revert to the Westminster
demesne. When the king levies a scutage of £1, William will acquit the
Abbey £1 from the fee of Tetworth and Tonge, and render £2 at
Christmas and at Ascension for Chelsea, and £2. 15s. 2d. for his own fee
at Annunciation and a week before Michaelmas. [1115 × 1117]

Date: Bernard became bishop of St Davids in 1115 and Abbot Gilbert
died in 1117.

Note: See Harvey, WA, 338.

243. Grant by Abbot Herbert to the monks of Great Malvern (Worcs.)
of the manor of Powick (Worcs.) for £24 annually. They may hold this
manor so long as they are obedient to the mother church, and the abbot
will have those customary rights which he holds in other manors similarly
at farm. [1121 × 1136]

Note: See Harvey, WA, 363. Lands adjoining Powick are said to have
been given to Great Malvern by Abbot Gilbert and the convent, and
perambulated by the Westminster monks Hugh and Warner (Monasticon, III, 447–8), reciting two confirmatory charters of H I, one of them
clearly spurious. Their texts are known only from the Patent Roll of 50
Edw. III: cf. Cal. Pat. R. 1374–1377, 282). A late source alleges that
Gilbert's donations, made 18 W I (1083–4), included the manor of
Powick (W. Thomas, Antiquitates Prioratus Majoris Malverne (London,
1725), iv, citing Placita Coram Rege, 12 Ed. II). Gilbert, however, prob.
succeeded only in 1085 (Heads, 77). See also Regesta II, no. 1490.